‘Tobacco Cessation’ wellness program guides individuals through quitting tobacco

For those who are ready to quit smoking or who are thinking about quitting, the upcoming Healthy Boiler wellness program “Tobacco Cessation” is a resource to utilize. The program, which meets from 3-4 p.m. ET on Thursdays from Dec. 5-Jan. 23, will teach strategies to help individuals quit tobacco and avoid using it again.

“Quitting tobacco products greatly reduces the risk of developing many diseases connected to tobacco usage and produces almost immediate improvements in health,” said Lindsay Bloom, health coach at Purdue Fort Wayne, who is also presenting this workshop.

Attending this workshop will count as an approved tobacco cessation program, resulting in a waiver of the 2025 tobacco-user additional premium if the completed program certificate is submitted by March 31, 2025. See information below for details.

Those interested in attending the workshop should register by Nov. 26 via the Healthy Boiler Portal. The registration link can be found under the “Healthy Boiler Workshops” section on the portal’s homepage. Hover over the workshop’s square and click on the “Submit” button or the information “i” to register.

Healthy Boiler workshops and lifestyle programs are free to all benefits-eligible faculty and staff and dependents covered on a Purdue health plan. This workshop supports the physical health and financial wellness pillars of the Healthy Boiler Program.

Tobacco-user additional premium information

Aside from the health benefits resulting from not smoking, there are also financial benefits, including a waiver of the tobacco-user additional premium on an employee’s benefits premium.

As a reminder, employees (and their spouse, if covered) who certify as tobacco users — a person who has used tobacco, including cigars, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco or any other tobacco product in the past 12 months — during open enrollment each year will pay an additional $1,250 tobacco-user premium on their medical premiums. Premiums for term life and critical illness insurance also are based in part on whether an employee (and their spouse, if covered) has used tobacco in the last 12 months, and those premiums may be impacted as well.

Completed program certificates from an approved tobacco cessation program, including this class, submitted by March 31, 2025, will waive the tobacco-user additional premium for the entire 2025 plan year. If the form is submitted after March 31, 2025, the premium will be waived for the remainder of the 2025 plan year.

For more information about the additional premium, visit the “How To Waive the Tobacco-User Additional Premium” webpage.

Among information available regarding overall cost savings as a result of quitting smoking, Tobacco Free Kids, Smokefree.gov and the CDC offer these insights:

• Tobacco Free Kids, immediate savings by state: https://assets.tobaccofreekids.org/factsheets/0337.pdf (January 2024)
• Smokefree.gov calculator: https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/why-you-should-quit/how-much-will-you-save
• Tips From Former Smokers: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/index.html

Questions

Anyone with questions about the waivers and tobacco-cessation resources available may contact Human Resources at 765-494-2222 or via email at hr@purdue.edu. Specific questions regarding the “Tobacco Cessation” wellness program should be directed to the Center for Healthy Living at 765-494-0111.